The Way She Moves
by LVB
Summary: Charlie would always swear he loved her first. And now he would love her last. Bill/Fleur, Charlie/Fleur.


**The Way She Moves (Her Body in the Moonlight)**

**Summary**: Charlie would always swear he loved her first. And now he would love her last. Bill/Fleur, Charlie/Fleur.

**Warnings**: Infidelity, swearing

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter belongs to a bunch of people that aren't me. I am making no profit from this.

**A/N:** This was written in response to the 'Convince Me' Competition over on the HPFC forums. Obviously, I chose to write about Charlie/Fleur. Probably not exactly 'winning story' material but I'm content with my first shot at writing this pairing. Huge thanks to my beta who looked over my woeful attempt at Fleur's accent

..

Charlie sees her dancing at a club one night. She looks vaguely familiar. The club's ceiling was charmed like the night sky and it reminds him of Hogwarts. The moon shines onto her as she grinds in the middle of the club. He is mesmerized by the sway of her hips and the way her blonde hair whips around her like a silk shawl. He looks around the room and notices others too, looking and staring. He has to be there first. He strides across the dance floor and gently touches her arm. She spins and looks directly into his eyes. Shivers run down his spine.

"I'm Charlie," he shouts across the music, his eyes never leaving hers.

"My name eez Fleur," she says, her French accent dancing across the darkened room, resting on his ears. "Fleur Delacour," she repeats, her arm extended. He softly takes her hand and presses a gentle kiss against the back of it.

"Bonjour Mademoiselle," Charlie says as he gently tugs Fleur into a passionate kiss, leaving no question as to whom she would be leaving with tonight.

...

"What are you playing at?" Charlie roars at her, behind his father's shed.

"I love 'im, Charlie," she replies, eyes downward.

"Does he know?"

Fleur shakes her head in response. "_Non_. He must never know, Charlie. _Oui_, Charlie? You will not tell 'im?"

Charlie storms off and Fleur takes that answer as a yes.

...

"You're pregnant!" squeals Ginny over the extended dinner table.

"_Oui_," Fleur replies happily, squeezing Bill's hand.

Charlie slaps his brother's back and kisses Fleur's cheeks, masquerading happiness.

"Blimey, you're going to be Uncle Charlie!" Bill says to him, with a laugh.

...

"Are you sure about this Fleur? Isn't Bill going to go off his rocker when he sees it? Old age and fatherhood has made him go a bit mental," Charlie warns as Fleur adjusts her shirt to expose creamy white flesh.

"'e eez never home," Fleur whispers as the dark-haired gentlemen wielding an ink-tipped wand moves closer to her skin. "Ze children, zey are all at school. I 'ave nothing to stop me. It eez _magnifique,_ _non_?" she says, referring to the tattoo design she has created. Charlie looks in awe as she closes her eyes and sensually licks her lips. After three children and years of marriage to his brother, Charlie still can't keep his eyes off her. He sits beside her as the names of her three children are delicately painted on her back. She swears in French and Charlie smiles because, around Bill, she tries to be English, but around him, she is exquisitely herself.

...

At three in the morning, Charlie hears a distinct _crack_ in the sitting room. The wards on his new apartment haven't been set, so he grabs his wand, still bleary-eyed and stands motionless against the doorframe.

"Charlie?" a soft, womanly voice whispers, fighting against the overwhelming darkness in the room. Charlie rounds the corner and finds Fleur shivering. She is carrying a small bag, light blue and delicate.

"What are you doing here?" he asks her, adding flame to his barren fireplace, just to witness the warmth return to her eyes.

" Zis eez too much, Charlie. Victoire, she eez sending me a letter from 'ogwarts, saying she, Dominique and Louis are visiting _Maman_ and Gabrielle in Paris for Christmas." Tears begin to flow down her perfect face.

"I cannot do it. I cannot be alone again. Beel, 'e eez never there, I cannot tell 'im I am gone..."

Charlie finally understands. Bill has always been the wolf but Charlie—he is now the dragon.

...

Fleur is not there the next morning when Charlie hears another _crack_ in the sitting room. He doesn't rush out of his bed. He knows who is there. Bill tears into Charlie's bedroom, his eyes wildly searching for his wife. Rumpled sheets and an open blue bag answer the question that is bursting from his lips.

"Where _the fuck is my wife_ you arsehole?" Bill seethes. Charlie slowly gets out of bed, clutching his wand. He has fought his brother before but not like this, _never like this_. Bill's fist connects with his face and Charlie doesn't say a word.

"You're my brother Charlie! How could you do it? _How could you do this to me_?" he roars, and his scars begin to flame.

Charlie looks Bill straight in the eye. "I had her first."

...

Charlie takes them to France. Unlike Bill, he has no problem with the language. He walks with Fleur, hand in hand as she shows him Beauxbatons and her childhood home. He speaks with Madam and Monsieur Delacour in perfect French and produces a small gift for Fleur's niece, Madeline.

When they arrive home, there are two letters waiting on the doorstep—one addressed to _Maman_; the other addressed to _Uncle Charlie._ They both read the same thing in Victoire's loopy handwriting.

_I hate you. _

Fleur cries and Charlie cries along with her.

...

Teddy and Ron come to visit, dressed in their Auror robes to avoid suspicion. Charlie watches as Fleur majestically invites them into their home and dances around the kitchen, acting as if she was meeting his family for the very first time. Teddy remains quiet and Charlie suspects he is here on behalf of his eldest niece. Fleur asks him information and he politely replies; Victoire loves working for the Daily Prophet; Dominique is studying hard for her NEWTs and Louis just made Beater on the Gryffindor team. She beams with joy, until she remembers that on her back, her children's names glow. She excuses herself for a moment, and Teddy escapes to light a cigarette.

"You've really fucked things up, Charlie. Why Fleur? You could have any woman you wanted, why did you steal Bill's?" Ron asks and Charlie feels the unease in his question, _'I'm glad you stayed away from Hermione'_.

"I had her first."

...

Victoire relents and sends a beautifully decorated invitation to their home. _Maman_ _and Uncle Charlie_. Fleur rejoices because she will see her daughter's wedding but Charlie rejoices because she still calls him Uncle Charlie.

"I do not want more children," she whispers to him as they lay in bed that night. "Beel, 'e is wanting more, like your _maman_. _Trois_, enough."

Charlie is glad. He is Uncle Charlie. Parenthood was always for Bill.

...

When Arthur falls ill, Fleur and Charlie visit the Burrow for the first time in two years. Bill is first to greet them at the door. No words are spoken but both brothers watch as their father dies in the bedroom where they were born.

...

Molly insists the wedding goes ahead and Victoire looks beautiful as she joins Teddy at the aisle, at the end of the makeshift altar at the Burrow. Bill stands beside his daughter, next to Fleur. Charlie sits in the back row. Rose holds his hand. He cheers as his niece; _only his niece_, marries the love of her life and seal their union with a kiss. Charlie briefly considers the irony that Bill is standing in the exact same spot as he did, many years ago when Charlie watched the woman he loved marry his brother.

Teddy pulls Victoire onto the dance floor and the moon shines, illuminating the happy couple. At first, Fleur and Bill dance uneasily and all the Weasleys stop and stare. The song ends and they part ways. Fleur, holding her train, makes her way to Charlie and gently grasps his hand. They walk together to the dance floor, passing Dominique and Louis on the way. Their eyes lock and both actually smile at him.

Charlie leads her onto the dance floor and they hold each other close. They will not get married but Charlie is content to dance with the mother of the bride.

"You are still as beautiful as the day I met you," he says to her, watching as the moonlight reflects off her earrings—a gift from Charlie from their last trip to Paris.

"_Merci_," she says and kisses him gently on the cheek. Charlie barely notices Bill joining them with Dominique and then other Weasleys file onto the dance floor. Nobody says a word.

The lights glow but Charlie loves to see her in the dark. He finally has her again, in the moonlight.


End file.
